Multiple label dispenser

ABSTRACT

In a label dispenser in which a key selection can be made of any one of a plurality of label rolls, at least one of the keys is adjustable in width whereby various combinations of roll widths can be accommodated.

United States Patent Pargeon [451 Sept. 19, 1972 MULTIPLE LABELDISPENSER [56] References Cited [72] Inventor: Fred H. Pargeon, Wayne,Pa. UNITED STATES PATENTS [731 Assignee 9' Ticket Cmlmy, Philadel-2,641,470 6/1953 Friedl ..226/110 3,276,706 10/1966 House ..226/110 x[22] Filed: July 12, 1971 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles 21 A l. N l61 pp 0 L783 Attorney-Smith, Harding, Earley & Follmer 52] US. Cl..226/110, 226/179 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 17/22 58 Field 61Search ..226/110, 176, 177,180,186, label dispenser in which a keySelection can be 226/179 made of any one of a plurality of label rolls,at least one of the keys is adjustable in width whereby variouscombinations of roll widths can be accommodated.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures.

PATENTEDSEP IB 3.692.222

sum 2 or 2 L...Q..T' J 84 5 1:

INVENTOR. FRED H. PARGEON ATTORNEYS MMWn MULTIPLE LABEL DISPENSER BRIEFSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to label dispensers, andparticularly to the type of dispenser comprising a continuously rotatingdrive roller, a plurality of elongated label-bearing carrier strips, anda plurality of finger-actuated keys selectively movable to press thecarrier strips against the drive roller thereby effecting advancementsof the carrier strips. A typical dispenser of this type is described inU.S. Pat. No. 3,537,933, issued on Nov. 3, 1970 to Clayton G. Severance.

Briefly, the label dispenser in the Severance patent comprises aplurality of glassine rolls carrying gummed labels. An electric motorrotates a main roller which advances a glassine strip upon selectivepressure contact by a key-operated roller. A sharp angular turn in thetrack of the glassine strip detaches the labels carried thereby.

These multiple label dispensers are useful for dispensing pricing stampsfor grocery stores and the like, and also have other applications,particularly industrial applications. In manufacturing, for example, thedispenser may be used to dispense model number labels for parts. Whereseveral different models are being produced, each label roll in thedispenser might carry labels for one of the several kinds of parts.

'The dispenser constructed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,933 islimited in the widths of the carrier rolls which it can accommodate andis accordingly limited in the sizes of the labels which it is capable ofdispensing. I

The principal object of this invention is to provide a label dispenserunit that will handle carrier strips of various widths, therebypermitting a single dispenser unit to be loaded with labels of whateverwidth the user desires or with various combinations of label widths.

A further object of the invention is to maintain control of the carrierstrip to maintain it in a straight condition.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention which will be apparentfrom the following description, are accomplished in accordance with theinvention, by providing, for at least one of the carrier strips in thedispensing unit, a pair of rollers which are simultaneously operable byA key associated with that strip, and which are adjustable with respectto their axial spacing so that they can be positioned respectively toengage the strip at or near its edges. In this way, the carrier strip isfed by the drive roller and the two key operated rollers at its edges.This manner of feeding the carrier strip prevents its movement out ofalignment with the key-operated rollers.

Preferably, the key-operated rollers of a pair are rotatably mounted onthe respective parts of a two-part key, the parts of the key beingadjustable with respect to each other substantially in the direction ofthe axis of rotation of the drive roller. Thus, within certain limits,the keys need take up no more space than necessitated by the width ofthe carrier strip. Therefore, a dispenser unit is capable ofaccommodating a maximum number of carrier rolls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of adispensing unit in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an adjustable key in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the adjustable key of FIG. 3 as viewed fromthe bottom of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the plane 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1 and 2 show a dispenser unit 10 comprising achassis 12 having vertical sidewalls l4 and 16.

On a shaft 18 mounted, between the sidewalls, there are rotatablymounted a plurality of carrier rolls indicated at 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28.Each of these rolls is preferably an elongated glassine carrier stripcarrying gummed labels uniformly spaced one from another. Labels 30 and32 are shown on the carrier strip 34 of roll 20.

As Show most clearly in FIG. 2, carrier strip 34 extends from roll 20,passes underneath rod 36, and over the upper edge 38 of a sloping member40, which extends between the vertical sidewalls. From edge 38, strip 34extends downwardly and then to the front of the machine over arubber-covered drive roller 42 which also extends between the sidewallsand which is driven by motor 44 (FIG. 1) in a counterclockwise directionas viewed in FIG. 2.

Strip 34 is advanced by roller 42 when it is pressed against roller 42by key-operated rollers which will be described subsequently withreference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 2 shows a key 46 mounted frictionallyby means of grommet 48 on an elongated bar 50 which extends between thesidewalls of the unit substantially in parallel relation to the axis ofroller 42.

Adjacent pairs of carrier rolls are separated from each other bybarriers, an example of which is barrier 52 (FIG. 2). Barrier 52 ismounted on rod 36 and on a similar rod 54 extending between thesidewalls. Other similar barriers hold the other rolls in place andprevent the adjacent carrier strips from contacting each other.

Key 46 is shown in much greater detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. It is madeup of two elements 66 and 68, both of which are frictionally mounted onbar 50 by means of horse-shoe shaped grommets mounted in cut-outs in thevertical sidewalls 70 and 72 of element 66 and in vertical sidewalls 74and 76 of element 68. One such grommet is indicated at 78 in FIGS. 3 and5. Because of the frictional mounting of these key elements on bar 50they may be fixedly positioned in any chosen one of a plurality ofspacings with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the axisof rotation of drive roller 42. In the preferred embodiment shown, thespacing is continuously adjustable. However, it will be apparent thatother mounting means may be provided which allows for a limited numberof possible spacings.

While the grommets impede translation of the key elements along bar 50,they readily allow rotation of the key elements about bar 50. Thevertical sidewalls 70 and 72 of element 66 are provided with bearings 80and 82 for mounting a first roller 84 rotatably. Element 68 is similarlyprovided with bearings 86 and 88 for mounting a second, shorter, roller90 rotatably. The axes of these rollers are parallel to each other whenthe elements are mounted on bar 50 and they are parallel to the axis ofrotation of drive roller 42.

As best shown in FIG. 4, key element 68 of key 46 is provided with ahorizontally extending manually actuable tab 92 which overlaps part ofthe'upwardly facing surface of key element 66. Tab 92 is adapted to bepushed downwardly by the operators finger, and its operation effects adownward movement of both rollers 84 and 90 toward drive roller 42.

Key element 66 is provided with an opening 94 in its upwardly facingsurface and with an opening 96 in its sidewall 72, the latter opening 96being connected to opening 94 to provide a space for the downwardpassage of the carrier strip through the key to the keyoperated roller.Element 68 is similarly provided with openings 98 and 100 which are inregister with openings 94 and 96 to provide space for downward passageof the carrier strip through the key.

Element 66 can be used by itself when narrower carrier strips are used,in which case a gate 102 pivoted at 104 in sidewall 72 is positionedacross opening 96 with slot 106 in its end engaging pin 108 in sidewall72. This gate then provides guidance for the strip.

When the two-element key is usedfor wider carrier strips, the gate isopened and rests on pin 1 extending from sidewall 72.

FIG. 1 illustrates how various different sizes of carrier strips can beaccommodated by a dispensing unit in accordance with the invention.

Assume, for example, that roll consists of a strip 1% inches wide, roll22 consists of a strip 1% inches wide, roll 24 consists of a strip oneinch wide, and rolls 26 and 28 both consist of rolls which are one-halfinch in width.

The strip 34 from roll 20 passes downwardly through the openings intwo-element key 46 comprising elements 66 and 68. The strip 116 fromroll 22 passes downwardly through a two-element key comprising elements118 and l20.'The strip from roll 24 likewise passes downwardly through atwo-element key comprising elements 121 and 122. The remaining stripspass down respectively through single elements 124 and 126 eachcorresponding to element 66 (FIG 3), and each having its gate closed.

Any one of the strips can be advanced by applying downward pressure tothe appropriate key to issue labels therefrom. If it is desired to issuea different combination of sizes of labels from the unit, the carrierrolls can be replaced by others of different sizes, the barrierspositioned to prevent lateral translation of the rolls and strips, andthe keys being either two-element or singleelement keys, depending onstrip size. Where two-element keys are used, the spacing between theelements thereof is preferably adjusted so that the rollers engage theedges of the strip when the elements are depressed. Assuming the unitshown in FIG. 1 to have 6 inches of available space for carrier strips(the space between the sidewalls l4 and 16 has to be slightly wider toaccommodate the barriers), the barriers and keys could be rearranged,for example, to accommodate three 2 inch strips, four 1% inch strips,six 1 inch strips, or various combinations of strips, the widths ofwhich add up to approximately 6 inches. Of course, the number of narrowstrips is limited by the number of single-element keys which the machinewill accommodate.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the invention greatlyincreases the flexibility of a multiple label dispensing unit over whatwas available in the prior art, by allowing within certain limits, alarger number of label-carrying strips to be accommodated when narrowerstrips are used.

I claim:

1. A dispensing device comprising:

means for mounting a plurality of elongated strips;

a drive roller for effecting advancement of said strips;

means for rotating said drive roller;

at least two manually operable keys;

roller means associated with each of said keys and operable by actuationof the key to press one of said strips against said drive roller toeffect advancement of said one of said strips;

the roller means associated with at least one of said keys comprisingfirst and second rollers, and means for fixedly mounting said rollers inany chosen one of a plurality of spacings with respect to each other ina direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive roller; and

means connecting said one of said keys to both of said first and secondrollers whereby actuation of said key moves both of the rollers of saidpair toward said drive roller.

2. A dispensing device in accordance with claim 1 in which the axialspacing of said rollers is continuously adjustable.

3. A dispensing device in accordance with claim 1 in which said meansfor mounting said rollers includes first bearing means for rotatablymounting said first roller and second bearing means for rotatablymounting said second roller, an elongated bar arranged substantially inparallel with the axis of rotation of said drive roller, and means forfrictionally fastening said first and second bearing means at any chosenlocations along said bar and thereby providing for continuous adjustmentof the said spacing between said rollers.

4. A dispensing device comprising:

means for mounting a plurality of elongated strips;

a drive roller for effecting advancement of said strips;

means for rotating said drive roller;

at least two manually operable keys;

roller means associated with each of said keys and operable by actuationof the key to press one of said strips against said drive roller toeffect advancement of said one of said strips;

at least one of said keys comprising first and second elements, theroller means associated with said one of said keys comprising a pair ofrollers each mounted on one of said elements;

means for fixedly mounting said elements in any chosen one of aplurality of spacings with respect to each other in a direction parallelto the axis of rotation of said drive roller, whereby the axial spacingof said roller means associated with said elements can be selected froma plurality of possible spacings; and

means interconnecting the two elements of said one of said keys wherebymanual actuation of one of said elements moves both of the rollers ofsaid pair toward said drive roller.

5. A dispensing device in accordance with claim 4 in which saidinterconnecting means comprises a manually actuable tab fastened to oneof said elements and extending over the top of the other of saidelements.

6. A dispensing device in accordance with claim 4 in which the spacingbetween said first and second elements is continuously adjustable.

7. A dispensing device in accordance with claim 4 in ments, and in whichthe spacing between said first and second elements is continuouslyadjustable.

1. A dispensing device comprising: means for mounting a plurality ofelongated strips; a drive roller for effecting advancement of saidstrips; means for rotating said drive roller; at least two manuallyoperable keys; roller means associated with each of said keys andoperable by actuation of the key to press one of said strips againstsaid drive roller to effect advancement of said one of said strips; theroller means associated with at least one of said keys comprising firstand second rollers, and means for fixedly mounting said rollers in anychosen one of a plurality of spacings with respect to each other in adirection parallel to the axis of rotation of said drive roller; andmeans connecting said one of said keys to both of said first and secondrollers whereby actuation of said key moves both of the rollers of saidpair toward said drive roller.
 2. A dispensing device in accordance withclaim 1 in which the axial spacing of said rollers is continuouslyadjustable.
 3. A dispensing device in accordance with claim 1 in whichsaid means for mounting said rollers includes first bearing means forrotatably mounting said first roller and second bearing means forrotatably Mounting said second roller, an elongated bar arrangedsubstantially in parallel with the axis of rotation of said driveroller, and means for frictionally fastening said first and secondbearing means at any chosen locations along said bar and therebyproviding for continuous adjustment of the said spacing between saidrollers.
 4. A dispensing device comprising: means for mounting aplurality of elongated strips; a drive roller for effecting advancementof said strips; means for rotating said drive roller; at least twomanually operable keys; roller means associated with each of said keysand operable by actuation of the key to press one of said strips againstsaid drive roller to effect advancement of said one of said strips; atleast one of said keys comprising first and second elements, the rollermeans associated with said one of said keys comprising a pair of rollerseach mounted on one of said elements; means for fixedly mounting saidelements in any chosen one of a plurality of spacings with respect toeach other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of said driveroller, whereby the axial spacing of said roller means associated withsaid elements can be selected from a plurality of possible spacings; andmeans interconnecting the two elements of said one of said keys wherebymanual actuation of one of said elements moves both of the rollers ofsaid pair toward said drive roller.
 5. A dispensing device in accordancewith claim 4 in which said interconnecting means comprises a manuallyactuable tab fastened to one of said elements and extending over the topof the other of said elements.
 6. A dispensing device in accordance withclaim 4 in which the spacing between said first and second elements iscontinuously adjustable.
 7. A dispensing device in accordance with claim4 in which said interconnecting means comprises a manually actuable tabfastened to one of said elements and extending over the top of the otherof said elements, and in which the spacing between said first and secondelements is continuously adjustable.